Container



U ited S a e, P e

2,929,543 Patented Mar. 22, 1950 CONTAINER Edgard Feder, New York,

Application March 26, 1958, Serial No. 724,119

11 Claims. (Cl. 229-41) This invention relates to a container, and, more particularly, is concerned with a paperboard container of the type which is utilized for enclosing an article of merchandise. More particularly, my invention pertains to a paperboard container which is made from flat stock and is cut and folded to a desired shape.

Heretofore, paperboard containers of the foregoing character have consisted of six plane sides, a typical example being a cracker box. For many years the need has been recognized for a container having a circular or otherwise curved contour, such, for instance, as a hat box which could be assembled simply by folding. However, up to the present time, it has been necessary to employ mechanical connectors, erg. staples to manufacture a curved container.

' It is an object of my invention to provide such a container, i.e. a container with curved walls which is made from a simple fiat blank and is assembled to its desired final configuration merely by hand-folding operations.

It is another object of my invention to provide a container of the character described which is strong, inexpensive and easily assembled.

It is another object of my invention to provide a container of the character described which is attractive, neat and efiicient.

Other objects of my invention in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

My invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the container hereinafter described, and of which the scope of the invention will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a closed container constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a. view similar to Fig. l, but showing one plane wall of the container open;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the other plane wall of the container open and both ends of the curved wall detached; and

Fig. 4 is a developed view of the curved wall.

In general, I accomplish the objects of my invention by providing a container blank including an elongated strip at least one end of which is connected to the blank near the region of attachment of the other end of the strip whereby when the blank isshaped to form a container, and both ends of the strip are located near one another, the intermediate portion of the strip, which is not connected to the blank except at its ends, assumes an arcuate shape. Moreover, the blank includes plane walls of arcuate profile which are foldable against the arcuately shaped strip and are engageable therewith both to support and rigidity the arcuately curved strip and to close the container. of which the arcuately curved strip constitutes a curved wall.

.-Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10. denotes a container. constructed in accordance with my invention. By way of example, the container illustrated is for enclosing small articles, such as vials of perfume, that are to be sold across the counter. Except for a handle hereinafter described, the container entirely constitutes paper, the same being in the form of light, comparatively flexible paperboard, that is to say, paperboard which is strong enough to retain its own shape, and yet is flexible enough to be bent.

In the form of my invention being described, the container is made of two pieces of paperboard. However, as will be appreciated from the description which follows,

' if desired the container can be made from a single piece of paperboard. In essence the container comprises a paperboard blank 12 in the approximate shape of a strip, and a second paperboard blank 14 in the approximate shape of a fiat dumbbell. t

The blank 12 consists of an elongated body of generally straight configuration which when initially blanked out, i.e. when fiat, has the shape best shown in Fig. 4. Said strip includes two ends, 16, 18 and two longitudinal edges. integrally protruding at spaced intervals from each longitudinal edge is a series of rounded spaced tabs 20. Each tab on one edge may, as shown, be transversely registered with a tab on the other edge, that is to say, the tabs may be arranged in transverse pairs. However, this is not essential to the operation of my invention. Desirably, although not necessarily, the spaces between the tabs on the longitudinal edges are equal to the breadths of the bases of the tabs. The strip is provided with a transverse slit 22 near each end edge thereof, the slits adjacent the opposite ends opening at different longitudinal edges. The length of each slit is equal to at least about one-half the width of the strip. At the base of each tab 20, the strip is provided with a straight fold line 24 which connects the opposite ends of the sides of the tab so that the fold line is a continuation of the break formed by the tab in the longitudinal edge from which the tab extends, thereby at each longitudinal edge, the folds 24 and the portions of the edge between the tabs constitute a straight line.

The dumbbell shaped blank 14 includes two substantially circular panels 26, 28, joined by a short strip 30. The junctions between the side edges of the strip 30 and the panels 25, 28 constitute parallel straight fold lines 32. The width of the strip 30 is equal to the Width of the strip 12. Extending integrally from the ends of the strip 30 are flaps 34 which are joined to said ends by parallel straight fold lines 36. A slit 38 is formed at the juncture between each fiap 34 and the strip 30 for a distance equal substantially to at least one-half of the width of said strip. The two slits 38 extend inwardly from opposite longitudinal edges of the strip 30.

Each circular panel 26, 28 is provided with a series of spaced rounded tabs 40 arranged around its periphery. The spacing between the tabs in these series is substantially equal to the widths of the tabs 49 at their bases, and moreover the spacing between the tabs 40 is substantially equal to the widths of the tabs 20, while the spacing between the tabs 20 is substantially equal to the widths of the tabs 40. Each tab 40 is joined to its associated circular panel by a straight fold line 42 which extends between the ends of the sides of the tab. It will be appreciated that the panels 26, 23 are not circular in a strict sense, inasmuch as their peripheries include the straight folds 32 and the straight folds 42. Nevertheless, the folds 42 are very short and do not noticeably affect the circular outline of the panels. Likewise, the folds 32, although longer than the folds 42, still are short compared to the peripheries of the panels so that they too do not greatly detract from the generally circular outlines of the panels. Moreover, it will be understood that I simply have'picked the circular-outline as illuscritical.

trative,andit iswithin the scope of my invention to utilize any curved outline for the panels 26, 28, as for instance, an oval shape.

' One of .the tabs '40 on each of the circular panels,

and preferably the'tab which is diametrically spaced from the fold line *32, includes a slot '44 which extends two slots are in registry when both of said slotted tabes are infolded'to overlie what will be describedhereinafter as the circular side wall of the container. j

-The lengths of the sundry tabs 20 and 48 are'not However, it is necessary that these lengths be no greater than the width of the strip 12.

j To assemble the container so as to prepare it for, receptionv of merchandise, one end of the strip 12 is placed adjacent one end of the strip '39 with the slits 22 and 38 facing one another. .Then the two strips are secured to one another by'interengaging the slits tortheirfull depths. In other words, a portion of, the strip 12 adjacent anend thereof is slipped into one of the slits '38, and at the same time the portion of the strip 30, in-

cluding one of the panels 34 is slipped into one of the slits 22 so that the two strips nest with one another. The

other end of the strip 12 is similarly engaged with the other end of the strip 30. The result will be a bowing of the strip 12 between the two ends of the strip 38. It should be mentioned at this point that. pursuant to my invention, the length of the strip '12 intermediate the two lar container.

,7 strengthen the connection between the circular panels and the curved strip 12. It will be appreciated that this interengagement between the tabs and will cause the curved strip 12, which is flexible, to follow the contours of the peripheries of the circular panels 26, 28, both of which are identical. However, it is not desired to have the shape of the panels 26, 28 substantially different from the shape assumed by the strip 12 when unengaged by the panels 26, 28, inasmuch as this creates additional labor in assembling the container. 7

Due to the fact that the tabs 20 are relatively narrow that is to say, narrow with respect to the total lengths of the peripheries of said panels, said tabs and the fold lines 42 connecting them with the panels'do not, as has been noted above, noticeably afiect. the deviation from circularity so that the finished container is not appreciably difierent in general configuration from a hat box or simi- I It will be understood'by those skilled in the paperslits 22, is greater than the length of the. strip Siibetween the two slits 38 and preferably, although this will depend upon the desired design of the container, the length of the strip 12 between the. slits 22 is considerably course, for the gap between the slits 22; However, the

strip 12 is flexible, andtherefore as soon will be pointed V out, can be made to assume a shape other than circular, providing the departure is not toogreat. Nevertheless, in the preferred form of my invention, the strip 12 will, at the time of its connection-with the strip 30 naturally assume some attractive curved configuration, and this is the configuration which I prefer said strip to maintain in the final form of the container.

It should be observed that-the flaps 34 and ends of the strip 12 are so arranged as'to be within the closed contour defined by the strips 12, 30.

'l"he tabs '20 and 40, and the spaces therebetween on "the strip 112 and circular panels 26, 28 are so positioned that when the strip 12 isconnected in the foregoing manner with the strip 30, and when, thereafter, the circular panels 26, 28 are folded toward the. strip .12 so as to lie in the planes defined by the longitudinal edges of the strip, the tabs on the circular panels will be registered. with the spaces between the tabs on the strip.

The widths of the tabs are all equal and a snug fit in the spaces between the tabs. the tabs 49 are folded toward the stri 12 out of the planes of thecircular panels 26, 28, said Thus, when panels subsequently are swungtoward and against the longitudinal edges of the curved strip 12, the tabs 4i) will enter into the spacesbetween the infolded tabs 24 and frictionally engage the side edges of the tabs 29 so as to hold the circular panels 26, 28 closed against the curved strip 12, thereby forming a container. 'Infolding of the circular, panels is limited by the folded in tabs 2% against which the circular panels abut as they arrive at their correct position. Moreover, thetabs 20 interlock with the side edges ofthe tabs 40, whereby further to board art that it is within the scope ofmy invention to make both the strip 12 and the blank 14 of. a single'piece or by having the strip 12 divided, e.g. in half, with one end of each half integrally connected'to 'a difierent end of the strip 30 and the other; end of each half detachably joined to one another as by the use of paper locks such as have been described above.- However, it, is desired to point out that I do not prefer the use of such a single blank inasmuch as it causes too great a waste of stock.

After the two circular panels have been folded to lie against the opposite longitudinal edges'of the now curved strip 12 so that the two panels are parallel tofone another, the said panels being held in this position by frictional interengagement between'the tabs 20, 40, I manipw,

late the tabs 40whichhave, the slots 44, these tabs not having been infoldedto lie against the inner surface of I the strip 12. I infold these two tabs against the outer; surface of said strip 12, first'folding thetab on one panel, and then-that on the other. During the infolding or" said. tabs,.and as they are caused to lieflat against.

the outer surface of the. strip 12 and one another, I

introduce into the slots 44 a loop 46 fashioned from an elongated piece of limp material, e.g. a string, which is secured to the strip 12 and extends outwardly therefrom. When the slotted tabs 40 are folded down against the;

strip, one on top of the other, only short sections of the two slots 44 will be in alignment, and the loop will extend through said sections, thereby holding the slotted tabs in place. In addition to 'holdingthe. slotted tabs locked, the loop can be utilized as a handle repaid in carrying the container. v V

It will'be appreciated the number of tabs 20, 40 on the strip 3.2 and circular panels can vary as desiredflhe greater the number, theless the deviation from a curved shape being noticeable. In actual practice I have found that tabs'covering an arc of as much as 30 will provide a completely satisfactory finished appearance in the con tainer. i 7

It thus will be seen that I have provided a container which achieves the various objects of my invention, and is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might-be made of my invention and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that aLl matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, *1 claim as new,

and desire to secure by Letters'Patentz' a .l. A container comprising an elongated strip of flexible sheet material, two panels of the same-materialin one piece with andintegrally connected to opposite transversely registered portions of the longitudinal edges of.

the strip by parallel fold lines coincident with said longitudinal edges, the longitudinal axis of said strip being curved so that the strip forms a short open-ended tube of which the strip constitutes the side wall, said panels being so contoured as to constitute closures for the open ends or" said shape, said strip being provided at opposite longitudinal edges thereof along its length exclusive of said fold lines with spaced tabs, and said panels being provided along their peripheries except at the fold lines with spaced tabs which intermesh with the spaced tabs of the strip.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the strip includes at least a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being in one piece with the two panels, and the second portion having its ends interengaging the ends of the first portion.

3. A container as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spaced tabs along the strip have the edges thereof frictionally engaging the spaced tabs along the panels.

4. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the strip and the longitudinal edges thereof are straight, and wherein the panel tabs are joined to the panels by fold lines.

5. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the strip includes at least six tabs on each longitudinal edge thereof.

6. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the length of the strip, exclusive of the fold lines, is substantially greater than the length of the fold lines.

7. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the length of the strip, exclusive of the fold lines, is at least five times the length of the fold lines.

8. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tabs on the panels are in registry.

9. A container as set forth in claim 8 wherein two registered panel tabs, one on each panel, include nonregistered slots extending inwardly from different edges of the tabs and having overlapping portions, and wherein the strip is provided with an elongated limp member extending through said overlapping portions of the slots to lock the registered tabs together.

10. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tube is of substantially circular contour, except at the fold lines, and wherein the contours of the panels are of substantially the same contour except at the fold lines.

11. A container as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first portion has slots extending inwardly from its longitudinal edges adjacent each end thereof, wherein the second section has similar slots, and wherein the sections are engaged by meshing of the slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,086,007 Wollitzer Feb. 3, 1914 1,292,188 Wheeler Jan. 21, 1919 2,149,625 Pabst Mar. 7, 1939 2,706,592 Schaller. Apr. 19, 1955 

